To the next generation of spatial data infrastructures.

A new vision to the production, management and distribution of spatial data where grid technology joins geographical data inventory and query systems, carried out collaboratively with best-known open source projects.

Terradue works to exploit and strengthen best practices in distributed data processing, archiving and discovery for Earth sciences, finance and medicine. Our emphasis is on the immediate delivery of robust operational systems while keeping a concrete roadmap to build the next generation data processing and storage systems.

The Wilkins Ice Shelf is at risk of partly breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula as the ice bridge that connects it to Charcot and Latady Islands looks set to collapse. The beginning of what appears to be the demise of the ice bridge began this week when new rifts forming along its centre axis resulted in a large block of ice breaking away.

“It’s amazing how the ice has ruptured,” said David Vaughan, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey. “Two days ago it was intact,” he said, referring to a satellite image of the Wilkins ice shelf. The loss of the ice bridge could mean a wider breakup of the ice shelf.

The 40-kilometer-long (25-mile-long) ribbon of sea ice that secured the Jamaica-size ice shelf (which is just out of view in the above pictures) to Antarctica had been "hanging by a thread" since August 2008. The satellite picture, by the European Space Agency, showed that a strip of ice about 25 miles long that is believed to pin the ice shelf in place had snapped.

These observation come from images processed by the Earth Observation G-POD (Grid Processing On Demand) operated at ESA/ESRIN using Grid computing. This is one several third-party applications and services integrated and supported by the European Space Agency Grid using Terradue's gridify application integration environment. The gridify solution allows the implementation and configuration of composite services requiring the use of substantial computer resource and large data volumes in an dynamic and timely fashion.

For more information on the Wikins Ice Shelf events check these web sites

• Ice bridge supporting Wilkins Ice Shelf images from the European Space Agency web site
• Keeping an eye on Wilkins Ice Shelf WebCam from Space
• Ice shelf brink of collapse from REUTERS

The workshop follows last years’ successful events covering Grid and e-Collaboration technologies and standards, highly relevant for today’s rapidly evolving e-Science infrastructures dedicated to Earth Science and Space applications. The technology focus in this year’s workshop is on digital repositories, but also on presenting updates on recent e-Infrastructure developments, reviewing the state of the art. [...]

The INSPIRE Implementing Rules for Discovery Services were published in draft form on November 4th 2008. This draft was sent to the European Commission for final revision after one round of consultation with registered interested parties (SDICs/LMOs). This report assumes that the contents of Draft 3.0 will not materially differ from the final legislated version and talks of the impact of the changes performed [...]

The Rai Tre's Okkupati show dedicated its 3rd August emission to the ITECHSPAZIO program. Presenting this program from the BIC Lazio (Bussiness Innovation Centre of Lazio Region) and the European Space Agency (ESA), the broadcast shows the integrated pre-incubation and incubation actions that enable the transformation of advance research ideas and concepts into successful business ventures. Terradue was the first company selected and shown as a successful example of the ITECHSPAZIO program. [...]